Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney happy for what the vote means for departments across the state. Author: Chelsea Strub Updated: 4:49 PM EDT May 19, 2021
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. Whether it s from up high, down low, in the heat, or the snow, for firefighters in the city of Wilkes-Barre, battling flames is never easy.
But Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Jay Delaney says some of that stress is now lifted thanks to people who showed up to vote during Tuesday s primary election and voted yes on a statewide referendum concerning municipal fire departments. It s going to allow fire chiefs to have a tool in their toolbox, said Chief Delaney. Money is tight everywhere. Money is tight.
Since the current Pennsylvania Constitution was adopted in 1968, itâs been amended more than 40 times.
In this yearâs primary, set for May 18, voters have the opportunity to add an additional three amendments.
First, there is a proposed amendment that would prohibit the denial of an individualâs rights under Pennsylvania law because of their race or ethnicity. The proposal has proven to be largely uncontroversial and has stirred no organized opposition.
Two other proposed amendments, on the other hand, have stirred much more urgent debate. Both arising from the coronavirus pandemic, one would automatically end any disaster declarations after 21 days and prevent a governor from extending it, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the Legislature also agrees. The other, related amendment would give the Legislature the power to terminate or extend a disaster declaration without the governorâs approval.
All fire services in Pennsylvania should be entitled to use the funds that are available to their departments. Thatâs the goal for one of the four referendum questions on the state ballot in the May 18 primary.
The premise sounds simple, but according to local fire officials, there is a misconception that approving the referendum could take funds away from volunteer fire companies.
The question originates from the Senate Resolution 6 Commissionâs (SR6) unanimous recommendation to change the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program and add career/combination fire departments.
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âWeâre trying to get Harrisburg to change some archaic laws that exist and open up the program where thereâs a windfall of money that municipal fire departments like the Norristown Fire Department and other departments in Montgomery County can take the opportunity to purchase fire apparatus. This is an important topic locally but also across the Commonwealth,â Norristo
NORRISTOWN All fire services in Pennsylvania should be entitled to use the funds that are available to their departments.
To that end, Norristown Fire Chief Tom OâDonnell is appealing to voters to say âyesâ to a statewide referendum on May 18.
The ballot question stemmed from the Senate Resolution 6 Commissionâs (SR6) unanimous recommendation  to change the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program and add career/combination fire departments, OâDonnell noted.
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âWeâre trying to get Harrisburg to change some archaic laws that exist and open up the program where thereâs a windfall of money that municipal fire departments like the Norristown Fire Department and other departments in Montgomery County can take the opportunity to purchase fire apparatus. This is an important topic locally but also across the Commonwealth,â he said.